With the miniaturization of electronic appliances, it has become desireable to miniaturize electrical connectors. For example, right angle "D-shaped" electrical connectors are commonly used in the electronics industry as an input/output (I/O) device to interconnect various electronic appliances, such as interconnecting a computer to external peripheral equipment. The terminals of the electrical connector typically are soldered to conductive circuit traces on a printed circuit board, such as at a back wall or panel of the computer. A conductive shield surrounding the contacts in the housing of the connector frequently is used to protect against electromagnetic or radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI).
The housings of shielded I/O connectors, as described above, typically include a forwardly projecting mating portion in which the mating portions of the terminals are located and a rear section at which the solder tails are located. For instance, the forwardly projecting mating portion may be of a "D" configuration for the right angle "D-shaped" electrical connectors described above. The shield extends around the forwardly projecting mating portion and is secured to the housing immediately behind a front flange of the shield from which the forwardly projecting portion extends.
Heretofore, various means for securing the shield to the housing have been utilized, including having openings or windows on the shield into which projections on the housing extend generally transversely to the direction of elongation of the connector. Alternatively, the shield has projections or tabs that extend into openings in the housing. Because each of these means for retaining the shield typically utilize a significant amount of space they decrease the ability to miniaturize the connector. Some connectors have eliminated most of the members for retaining the shield on the housing, but this approach presents a potential problem as the shields continue to be manufactured of thinner metal in order to reduce costs and simplify their manufacturability. These thinner materials are more readily deformable and, thus, subject to damage if they are deflected in an undesirable manner during mating or assembly. For instance, the walls of the shield around the forwardly projecting mating portion are so thin that they have a tendency to open up or bend more easily, resulting in either damage to the shield or interference with mating of the connector with a complementary connecting device.
This invention is directed to solving the myriad of problems identified above and providing a very simple means of supporting the shield on the connector housing yet still permitting miniaturization of the housing.